‘By looking at her,’ said Hattie, fully aware that it wasn’t her place to say these things. ‘She’s got a lovely figure.’
‘Lance doesn’t think so,’ said Malcolm. ‘She’s more Shetland pony than racehorse, that’s for sure.’
Fiona visibly slumped in her seat.
Hattie took a breath and bit back the retort she wanted to make. She turned to Sheila. ‘I couldn’t trouble you for a cup of tea?’ She could see the kettle on the Aga, spluttering slightly. While whisky obviously wasn’t a good idea, a cup of tea would help.
‘Of course!’ Sheila got to her feet, her chair making a dragging sound on the quarry-tiled floor.
‘I’m sorry, Hattie,’ said Fiona. ‘I don’t really know why Mum rang you, but you are good at organising things.’
‘What do you want me to organise?’ Hattie asked quietly.
‘I want you to get Lance back for me.’ Fiona’s eyes filled with tears again. ‘Tell him I’ll do anything – go on a juice diet, have those injections – but please, get him back for me!’ Fiona sniffed and then took a soggy tissue from her pocket and wiped her nose.
Sheila placed a mug of tea by Hattie and she took a heartening sip.
‘Are we a hundred per cent sure Lance doesn’t want the wedding to go ahead?’ she asked. As she was fairly sure he stood to gain a lot by marrying Fiona, she was surprised he was calling it off.
‘He does want to marry me!’ Fiona wailed. ‘But only if I’m thinner. I can be thinner! I have a whole week.’
‘Plenty of time to lose any extra poundage,’ said Malcolm.
‘Except there isn’t any extra!’ snapped Sheila.
‘So, you want me to go and talk to him?’ said Hattie, wishing that Sheila would say ‘Yes, and give him hell’ but aware that she wouldn’t.
‘Yes, please,’ said Sheila. ‘I wouldn’t trust myself and Malcolm has had far too much to drink.’
‘I’m absolutely fine!’ said Malcolm.
‘I’m perfectly happy to go,’ said Hattie. It wasn’t true, but she didn’t want Malcolm on the narrow lanes of the Cotswolds. ‘Is he nearby?’
‘He’s at a holiday cottage,’ said Fiona. ‘I’ll send a link to your phone.’
Chapter Nine
Hattie found the house without difficulty but sat outside in the car for a few minutes. Although she felt Lance deserved to be flung into the seventh circle of hell for what he was doing to Fiona, she was a bit scared. It was after ten at night, far too late for social calls, and he would almost certainly shout. If it weren’t for her visions she would never have got so involved with this couple. Reprimanding misbehaving bridegrooms was not part of her job as a property hunter. Nor even as a new friend. She hadn’t even been invited to this wedding. She took a deep breath and got out of the car.
When Lance opened the door, he did not look distraught and disappointed, he looked annoyed. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I imagine you know,’ said Hattie. ‘Can I come in?’ As she asked, she went through into the house.
‘Did Sheila send you?’ he asked.
Hattie found her way to the sitting room. The hallway was too narrow for her to say what she needed to. ‘The whole family sent me. They want to know if you mean it when you say you want to call off the wedding. Actually, that’s not true: it’s me who wants to know that.The family, Fiona in particular, wants you not to call it off. She’s distraught.’
‘So she should be,’ said Lance. ‘Silly thing should have done what I asked and got herself in shape for the wedding.’
He was so cold about it, thought Hattie. He really doesn’t care. He just wants everyone to jump through hoops for him. Although she didn’t want him to know, she felt she had to tell him what Fiona had said. ‘Fiona will go on any diet invented – including complete starvation – to help her lose weight for the wedding.’
He seemed pleased. ‘Good. She’s paying attention to my wishes at last.’
‘From what I’ve seen, Fiona has done absolutely everything you’ve asked and more. There’s nothing she wouldn’t sacrifice to make you happy.’
‘Good!’
Hattie couldn’t help herself. ‘And you have taken everything from her. Her friends, her hen night, the joy of keeping the wedding dress a surprise. You’ve been a bully from start to finish! And it’s my opinion that Fiona is well shot of you.’
